★★★★★ 5
The Fix
Format: Hardcover
An insightful and interesting book on how our country's first legislators try to make sense of the new and fairly short U.S. Constitution, which, being drafted by humans, was bound to be imperfect. A lack of clarity on some point might be due to the changeable nature of words themselves or to confusion or obscurity of thought by the authors. And, who were the authors? The men in the room who came up with the product or the various state conventions that approved the final product?
Professor Gienapp writes well and with a fine grasp of his subject. He uses concrete examples to illustrate his main points. For example, Congressional debates over the constitutionality of a proposed federal bank, the ratification of Jay's Treaty, and even whether the Bill of Rights was to be incorporated into or simply added to the original document.
Most people think of U.S. constitutional history in terms of its drafting and ratification and/or its later judicial interpretation by the Supreme Court. Here, Professor Gienapp focuses on the initial work of interpretation by the first few sessions of Congress.
This book is essential reading for those interested in the U.S. Constitution and the internal architecture of our government. I think those who spend countless hours viewing frenetic talking heads say this or that about the constitutionality of some issue or another (or the nomination of a justice to the High Court) should throw their television set out the window and, instead, settle into a corner chair and calmly read this and other such thoughtful books.
This one should win prizes.
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Reviewed in the United States on October 14, 2018
